Mrsic scores second hat trick in five games, Raiders beat Broncos 6-5
Friday night featured a barn burner at the InnovationPlex in Swift Current between the Broncos and the Prince Albert Raiders. Prince Albert erased a 2-0 deficit in the first period, thanks to a hat trick from Tomas Mrsic and a four point night from Aiden Oiring, as the Raiders came out on top by a 6-5 final.
Swift Current opened the scoring 5:02 into the game, as Brady Birnie started things off early. After Aiden Oiring whiffed on a one timer in the slot that had a chance to give the Raiders the lead, the Broncos took advantage of the miss and turned the puck up the other way. Luke Mistelbacher brought the puck into the offensive zone down the right wing, and saw Birnie skating towards the left post. Mistelbacher fed a pass backdoor, and Birnie poked home his 15th goal of the season, and already his sixth goal against the Raiders to make it a 1-0 game.
Ty Coupland doubled the lead for the Broncos with 7:20 left in the first. After the Raiders turned the puck over in the offensive zone, Swift Current quickly turned the play back into the Raider zone. From the point, Connor Dale dropped a pass to the left wall to Daxon Yerex, and Yerex skated down low and spotted Coupland cutting towards the crease. Coupland evaded the backchecking of Ethan Bibeau and tapped home a pass from Yerex past Max Hildebrand to give Swift Current a 2-0 lead.
Tomas Mrsic struck for the Raiders with 5:04 left in the first, finding the back of the net from the low slot. After a point shot from Lukas Dragicevic trickled wide of the net, Brayden Dube picked the puck up beneath the goal line. Dancing around behind the net, Dube cut back from the left right post to the left post, and send a pass in front. On the doorstep was Mrsic, and he ripped a shot low, far side past Reid Dyck under his glove. Mrsic’s 14th goal of the season made it a 2-1 game.
Great setup, great finish. Mrsic's got his 14th of the season pic.twitter.com/ZkQFxh3bTL
— Prince Albert Raiders (@PARaidersHockey) November 30, 2024
With 2:48 left in the opening frame, the Raiders tied the game right after coming up empty handed on their first powerplay chance. From the defensive zone, Justice Christensen sprung a lead pass into the neutral zone for Luke Moroz. Taking the puck at the red line, Moroz danced around a Bronco and worked his way into the offensive zone. With time to shoot, the second year forward sniped a shot far side, picking the top corner over Dyck’s glove, scoring his third goal of the season to even the score at 2-2.
Sheesh, Mo, save some top corners for the rest of us😤 pic.twitter.com/2qFXP4HcIm
— Prince Albert Raiders (@PARaidersHockey) November 30, 2024
Four more goals were scored in the second period, with the Raiders scoring three of them. With 12:37 left in the middle frame, Aiden Oiring scored to give the visitors their first lead of the night. On the powerplay, the Raiders cycled the puck around the Broncos zone. Mrsic sent a rink wide pass from the right wall to the left circle to Krzysztof Macias, who then fed a pass back across the ice, where Oiring was parked at the right faceoff circle. Oiring wasted no time with the puck on his stick, ripping home a one timer glove side past Dyck. His 10th goal of the season put Prince Albert up 3-2.
A rocket from AO gives us our first lead of the game! pic.twitter.com/smPnA8zno0
— Prince Albert Raiders (@PARaidersHockey) November 30, 2024
The Raiders struck on the powerplay again with 10:36 left in the second, as Mrsic found the back of the net for the second time in the contest. Before he scored, he tried to set up Oiring on the backdoor, but he missed the net with a redirected shot. The puck would end up back on Oiring’s stick in the corner, and he saw Mrsic calling for a pass in the right circle. Oiring sent a hard pass across the zone to Mrsic, and he blasted a one timer home for his 10th powerplay goal of the season, giving Prince Albert a 4-2 lead.
How sick was this goal from Mrsic??? pic.twitter.com/2z13Mr1eYy
— Prince Albert Raiders (@PARaidersHockey) November 30, 2024
Swift Current got one back with 7:14 left in the second. After Coupland missed the net wide with a shot from the point, the puck hit the end board and bounced free to the other side of the net. Pouncing on it was Josh McGregor, who buried the rebound past Hildebrand, who had no chance to make the save. McGregor picked up his second goal of the season as it became a 4-3 game.
Oiring struck again with 1:01 left in the middle frame, restoring Prince Albert’s two goal lead. Christensen gave Oiring a perfect breakout pass through the neutral zone, and he was able to do the rest. Skating into the Broncos zone, Oiring sniped a perfectly placed shot top shelf over Dyck. His second goal of the game and 11th of the season gave the Raiders a 5-3 lead heading into the third period.
Neeeeeeow pic.twitter.com/IrSv5FmxxZ
— Prince Albert Raiders (@PARaidersHockey) November 30, 2024
Swift Current made it a one goal game again 4:54 into the third, as Rylan Gould scored his eighth goal of the season. From the left circle, Birnie fired a hard shot towards the net with Gould providing a screen in front. Birnie’s shot hit Gould in the upper body, and the puck bounced over the goal line for a good goal, as it became a 5-4 game.
7:46 into the third, the Broncos tied the game, as Clarke Caswell found the equalizer. After Hildebrand made a save on an initial scoring chance, Coupland grabbed the rebound near the goal line. Coupland spotted Caswell open in the left circle and fed him a pass, which he blasted far side over Hildebrand’s glove into the top corner. Caswell’s eighth goal of the season was big for the Broncos, as it tied the score at 5-5.
With 2:52 to go in regulation, Mrsic completed his second hat trick in five games, giving the Raiders the late lead. After a shot from Tyrone Sobry at the point was deflected wide of the net, Oiring scooped the puck up in the left corner. He fed a pass to a wide open Mrsic in the slot, and he unleashed a wicked one timer between the wickets of Dyck. His third goal of the game put the Raiders up 6-5. Connecting on the goal, both he and Oiring picked up their fourth points of the night.
Count 'em, 1, 2, 3! pic.twitter.com/NYlyOv6DYB
— Prince Albert Raiders (@PARaidersHockey) November 30, 2024
The Broncos would get a late powerplay and pulled the goalie for the extra attacker, but hit the post three separate times with time winding down in regulation. In the final seconds, the Raiders pinned the puck along the half wall, not allowing Swift Current to get another chance at the game tying goal. The clock hit zero, and Prince Albert came away with a 6-5 win in a back and forth contest.
Now 10-8-3-0 on the season, the green and gold are back at it on Saturday night when they host the Lethbridge Hurricanes at the Art Hauser Centre. Puck drops at 7pm.
You can purchase tickets for the game by clicking HERE.
